


Truth will out.

by Queenofthebees



Series: Truth [4]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Ned tells Jon the truth, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-27 12:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15685845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queenofthebees/pseuds/Queenofthebees
Summary: “But, I haven’t been honest with you,” Ned sighed, sitting in his chair and regarding Jon solemnly. “What I tell you must not leave this room, do you understand me?”“Of course, father.”Ned exhaled, his eyes closing for a brief second and Jon wondered how terrible the news his father had to share could really be.“You have asked about your mother several times and I have never given you an answer.”Jon scrambled into the opposite chair, leaning forward in eagerness. “You’re going to tell me?”Ned nodded, casting another look at the door. “It does not leave this room Jon. For your sake as well as House Stark.”





	Truth will out.

**Author's Note:**

> Meh I dunno why Ned would tell Jon but whatever. Fanfiction! And I need it known for the rest of the story.

Jon had always thought he had understood that being a bastard meant that he couldn’t have everything he wanted. He could scarcely have _anything_ that he wanted.

And throughout his life, he felt that he had done a not too bad job at hiding his bitter resentment and the crushing guilt which followed at being denied everything his trueborn siblings had and would have.

But then something inside Jon had snapped when he had seen Sansa emerge from the pool that day, water dripping down her neck and making a tempting path down to her breasts which he could see through the thin material of her shift.

He had thought he had wanted things before. Had thought that he was good at hiding his darkest desires over the years. But nothing, not even Winterfell itself, could compare to his wish to have Sansa for his own.

And knowing she wanted him in return. It had taken the last of Jon’s control.

He sighed into the darkness of his chambers and roughly rolled to his side with another huff. He knew he had to go to The Wall. Especially now that Sansa returned his feelings. The temptation was too much. It had taken all his self-control earlier in the night to not remove her small clothes and touch her, to taste her.

If he stayed, he wouldn’t last very long. He would succumb to her will and would fall into her bed, he knew. And he couldn’t allow that to happen. Not when her reputation would be ruined and the shame of laying with her brother would follow her forever.

For the first time, he hated being Ned Stark’s son.

If he had been any other bastard boy, he would be able to look upon her all he liked and feel only a small bit of guilt at knowing he shouldn’t look at a highborn lady in such a way. But it wouldn’t be so bad, if he wasn’t a sibling.

If he had been anyone else’s son, he could at least have dreamed a way of having her for himself.

***

“Jon!”

His father’s voice made Jon pause and turn in confusion. His father rarely called him to talk about anything. Jon always made sure to stay out of trouble and avoid being scolded in case it caused Lady Catelyn’s distaste to grow even more.

For one horrible moment, he thought that his father knew about the night before, had known what he and Sansa had done.

Swallowing his fears, he nodded and quickly fell behind his father.

“Come in,” Ned said, opening the door to his solar.

Jon slowly stepped towards the desk, watching his father like a hawk as Ned walked around the other side, placing his hands on the desk.

“Jon, you are aware that I have not been completely supportive of your decision to go to The Wall,” he started. He rubbed at his beard for a moment. “But it isn’t because I don’t think you could do well there. You’re a skilled fighter, you’d be an asset to them.”

“Thank you, father,” Jon said slowly, voice laced with confusion.

“But, I haven’t been honest with you,” Ned sighed, sitting in his chair and regarding Jon solemnly. “What I tell you must not leave this room, do you understand me?”

“Of course, father.”

Ned exhaled, his eyes closing for a brief second and Jon wondered how terrible the news his father had to share could really be.

“You have asked about your mother several times and I have never given you an answer.”

Jon scrambled into the opposite chair, leaning forward in eagerness. “You’re going to tell me?”

Ned nodded, casting another look at the door. “It does not leave this room Jon. For your sake as well as House Stark.”

“I promise I won’t tell anyone!” Jon insisted. His palms felt sweaty and he rubbed them against his breeches as the seconds drifted by painfully.

“Well, I think it is easier to explain by telling you the whole truth,” Ned said with another sigh. “I am not your true father.”

It took Jon a few seconds to process the words, his body slumping back into his chair in confusion. He could feel tears building in his eyes as his head whirled with the new information. If he wasn’t Ned’s son, who was he? Was he even a Stark at all?

“Your mother,” Ned continued before he paused, giving Jon a sad smile. “Your mother was my sister, Lyanna.”

“Lyanna?” Jon replied, grimacing at how thick his voice sounded from the tears that threatened to spill. He frowned in confusion before the horror dawned on him. “So, my father was…was…”

“Rhaegar Targaryen.”

“No,” Jon whispered, shaking his head. “No. It can’t be. Not him. He…you said he kidnapped Lyanna and raped her!”

“It was widely believed that was the case,” Ned agreed. “It was the reason Brandon and my father went south, to bring her back. It was the reason Robert rose in rebellion and I rode with him.”

“I’m not his son!” Jon snarled. Ned shook his head.

“No,” he commented with a sad smile. “I see Lyanna in you far more. And thank the gods for that. I was able to bring you here and claim you as my son to protect you from Robert’s wrath. No amount of friendship between us would have protected you from him Jon.”

“What does this mean then?” Jon asked. “Am I…a Targaryen bastard now?”

_That would explain your love for Sansa._

“You are a Stark,” Ned returned fiercely. Jon shook his head. He couldn’t be a Stark after everything that happened last night with Sansa. He couldn’t be a Stark when he longed for her, when he would be thinking of her on The Wall.

“No,” he said quickly, thinking of Sansa and how everything they had done would certainly not make him a Stark in Ned’s eyes. He cleared his throat at Ned’s puzzled frown and shook his head slightly, trying to compose himself and to hide the fact he was on the verge of tears. ”I mean…I need to be alone for a while.”

“Of course,” Ned replied gently, watching Jon stand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Jon. I hope you understand that I wanted to protect you and it was the only way.”

Jon nodded quickly before leaving the room. And, in the hallway, he collapsed against the wall and took a deep, calming breath. So many thoughts were swirling around his head, his feelings just a confused mess inside him. But one thing was clear to him, even if it meant breaking his word to father.

He had to see Sansa, he had to tell her that although they couldn’t be together, they were not sick or wrong. Cousins could be attracted to each other.

But then Jon thought that in some ways, it made things worse. For if he was truly Sansa’s cousin and not her brother, that meant if he had been trueborn, he would have been able to marry her. He would have been able to court her and love her the way they did in the songs she always admired.

Being her cousin had somehow made her all the more out of reach to him.

He was jerked from his thoughts as he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he swallowed thickly as Catelyn rounded the corner, stopping short when she spotted him. Her eyes narrowed slightly and Jon quickly muttered an apology as he pushed himself from the wall. He could feel her piercing gaze on his back as he hurried down the corridor towards the chamber rooms. He glanced over his shoulder as he rounded the corner, seeing her finally entering Ned's solar. He quickened his step as he finally reached the chamber rooms and approached Sansa's door.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand and knocked.

 


End file.
